Danal said on Feb. 9 it completed patent registration for corporate-wallet-based digital asset-linked payment technology and secured key intellectual property in blockchain payment infrastructure. It said it is seeking to strengthen its market leadership at a turning point as digital asset payments spread into daily life.

The patent technology centres on a clear operating structure: payments are made in digital assets and settlements are made in won. When users transfer stablecoins they hold at the time of payment to a service operator's electronic wallet, the operator receives the assets and settles with merchants in won in the same way as existing payment methods.

This allows users to use their digital assets for real-life payments, while merchants can receive stable settlements in the same way as before without risks stemming from digital asset price volatility.

Danal said the patent registration will protect its rights to the technology for the next 20 years.

A Danal official said, "This patent will be a key asset not only in expanding stablecoin-based payments but also in promoting an online-offline integrated payment and global market expansion strategy." The official added, "We expect it will be an important turning point for digital asset payments to move beyond the experimental stage and become established as an everyday means of payment."